The melody of belonging

A matter of provenance

At first glance, the design language might resemble a contemporary folk revival: all Persian carpets, hand-carved sculptures of gandharvas, and beautifully hammered brass consoles. Probe further, however, and the live-edge coffee tables, ikebana arrangements and monolithic side tables suggest a more pluralistic vocabulary. There are nods to Asian minimalism and Danish hygge influences. Either way, the client’s brief was remarkably lucid. They wished the mansion to embody a refined idea of India, bold in identity yet restrained in expression. “The home is conceived as a composition, where materials, textures and details come together much like notes in a melody,” says Iesha, who worked alongside Shreys Nema and Girish Baja, explaining the provenance of the name Svara.

The tactile journey

At the entrance, a dual-material Cubist accent table draws inspiration from the architectural furniture of the 1970s, its wraparound veneer silhouette offset by retro-glam brass tones echoed in the plinth base of a swivel lounge chair. Overhead, a recessed tray ceiling creates the illusion of a loftier entryway. Wood, ceramics, marble inlay and intricately floral textiles unfold along the long hallway. Artisanal vases, heritage rugs, urli bowls, paintings that blossom like botanical tapestries, tabletop fruit sculptures and richly carved credenzas are arranged eclectically, even playfully, along the perimeters of the ground floor, occupying every bare corner.

From public to private

You head past an espresso-brown round pedestal table into a Mid-century Modern living room. Here, low-backed armchairs, chunky Brutalist coffee tables, a dusty rose curvilinear sofa and totemic terracotta-hued floor lamps with brass spindle inserts lend the space a vibrant, incomparable gusto. To the right lies the dining room, enveloped in floor-to-ceiling translucent curtains. Diagonally opposite, beyond the accordion-style staircase, the master bedroom, pooja room and two additional bedrooms remain discreetly tucked away, their privacy lending the upper level an almost monastic sense of retreat.

Elements of surprise

The visual narrative of Svara, Iesha adds, balances serenity with moments of theatrical beauty. Case in point, the bedrooms are tied together by a calming, nature-inspired palette of sage greens, slate greys, powder blues, champagnes and taupes. Intentionally minimalist yet curated with small things that spark joy, like delicate sprigs of bright red blossoms in round, bulbous pots, the austerity of the bedrooms is slyly knocked off-kilter by channel-stitched bedlinen, louvered window frames, floating demi-lune console tables, asymmetrical lighting, warm honey-toned nightstands and ink-wash-style artwork. Wood and brass flourishes abound; one is irresistibly drawn to trace the raw beauty of the wood grain with open palms, from the bottle-shaped side-table vases to the iconic tapered joinery of the ottomans. Equally inviting are the legless, slouchy lounge chairs that one can sink into with a sense of wanton surrender.

Rediscovery of nature

Climb up the staircase once again and you are lured into the sumptuous high culture of the study. Here, a smörgåsbord of tan leather sofas, sinuous jellyfish-like chandeliers, expansive Roman window shades and steam-bent wood chairs prevails. There is enough room here for a kidney-shaped writing desk, as well as a patinated, radius-curved console crafted from teakwood and paper, a soul sister to a papier-mâché vase that caught Iesha’s eye on a recent trip to Japan. Yet, for all its references to Indian heritage, Japanese craft traditions and Scandinavian restraint, Svara remains steadfastly rooted in its setting. The high, dense canopy of the surrounding landscape is the true protagonist here.

Whether it is the overstorey of deciduous trees glimpsed more intimately from the second floor, the Heliconia clusters that emblazon the emerald greens with a splash of defiance, or the philodendrons that ensconce the slatted outdoor cabana, Iesha insists that one of the project’s shining triumphs lies in allowing nature to have the final say.

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